The Stouts

Saxophone

2012-01-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

We went to a music store the other afternoon so Aaron could show us a Guitar he is looking at. The boys really liked seeing all the different instruments, and the Guitar Aaron wants really is beautiful and has a great sound to it. When we returned home Aaron got out his Saxophone and "played" it for the boys. They loved it and wanted to try it for themselves. Ethan actually got sound out of it and Landon hummed thinking that he was playing it like Ethan was. It was so cute to see them taking turns.

I hope they want to play an instrument and that they love beautiful music as much as their Mommy and Daddy do.

My Little Helper

2012-01-26T15:15:00.001-08:00

Landon is such a good helper. He loves to feed the dog, and if he didn't remember Max might never get fed. Max just waits by his food and Landon runs over there to get him some. He also helps us pick up toys, straighten shoes, and load and unload the laundry. I love this little helper and am so glad he helps Mommy.

Greatest Surprise

2012-01-22T15:25:00.001-08:00

For Christmas Eve we had some fun things planned as a family. We were going to go to breakfast and then go and see Arthur Christmas with Kathy and Dan. Plans changed when Landon was awake all night with an ear infection, so instead of breakfast and a movie I took the two boys to the instacare and told Aaron we would meet for lunch. Things were good once Landon had his prescriptions and we headed to the restaurant. I let Ethan out of the car first. He wanted to run in and see Daddy. I went to the other side to get Landon out and just as I was finished getting him out of his seat belt I turned around and saw Josie. I was so surprised I didn't know what to say so I just stared to cry. I love my family and don't get to see them very often and to have her come and visit me and my little family for Christmas was very special. She and Aaron had planned everything and everyone was great at keeping it a secret. Kathy and Dan were so nice to pick her up from the airport and bring her up to see us.
We loved having her around. We played, ate, talked, and just had a wonderful week toghther. Thank you so much for coming to visit us Josie. I can't wait to visit you this summer.

Zoo Lights

2012-01-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to go to the Hogle Zoo's Zoo lights this year. I was excited because I have a membership and I thought zoo lights were included. I stood in a long line waiting to get Josie's ticket. Once I bought it we stood in another line to get into the Zoo. Josie went in first, and then we went with our pass. The lady taking tickets said that we couldn't use it for zoo lights and that we had to go back and buy tickets. I was annoyed by that point because I had to go back and wait in a really long line to buy tickets again while my family was freezing outside. An hour after we got there we finally made it into the park.

Landon and Daddy trying to stay warm.
It was really cold that night so we kept stopping at little warming stations to heat up a little.

It was so much fun having Josie with us. She always makes things so fun and exciting. We sure have missed her around.

The lights were beautiful and fun, but I don't think I will go again unless it is a warmer winter.

Christmas Tree

2012-01-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

This year was a little crazy with the move and trying to get things ready for Christmas. Needless to say we didn't have a tree until the week before Christmas. We were going to go out and get our tree Saturday afternoon, but in the morning the guys that were putting in our fence surprised us with one. They had noticed that we didn't have one and got some for free and decided to give us one. It was very nice of them to think of us. Ethan was so excited to have the tree. I felt a little guilty not getting a tree earlier.

The boys had such a great time decorating the tree and I loved watching them.

Landon's Two!

2012-01-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

Ok so I know that Landon's Birthday was 2 months ago, but I could not not write about it. We just had a little get together with us and my family. I made a Birthday cake, we sang, and then we opened his presents with my family.

Landon loves to blow out the flame on the lighter, but little does he know is that Aaron just takes his thumb off the igniter and the flame goes away. So when Landon was trying to blow out the candles on his cake he just kept blowing and blowing and blowing and they weren't blowing out. It was very funny and we eventually had Ethan help him blow them out.

Landon's stats at age 2.
Height: 35.5 inches 75%
Weight: 24.5lbs 10%
Head: 48.8cm 50%
We sure love our little guy. He is such a snuggle bug. As soon as you pick him up he lays his head on your shoulder. It is enough to make you melt. He also loves to have stories read to him. He copies everything his brother does and says. I love to hear the boys playing with each other and listening to them when they run around the house chasing each other. Ethan likes to say "What the Heck" (Thanks Aaron) and just the other day Landon was saying "What the heck" I would have to say it was cute and not cute at the same time. Landon is still a good sleeper he takes an afternoon nap, and then goes to bed at around 7:30. I love to put him to bed. We just rock and sing songs and he lets me tickle his back. It is one of the best times of my day because it is a time I can just spend with him and not be distracted. We sure do love that little guy and can't wait to see how much he learns and grows this next year.

New Home

2011-11-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

Our house is almost complete. They have pretty much finished everything on the outside. The inside is painted, and the floors are all in except the carpet. The counter tops are in along with all the sinks and toilets. It is very exciting to see how fast they are working on it. We have a move in date of Nov. 28th. We are all very excited. The other day Ethan was telling me how sad he was to be leaving our current home and to be leaving his friends. I told him I was a little sad too, but that we will still come and visit and that he can make even more friends at our new house, which he already has. He is so smart and aware of things. I sure do love that little guy.

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

Halloween night was perfect. The weather was a little cool, but the boys didn't even need a jacket to go over their cute costumes. We decided to go Trick-O-Treating in our neighborhood because it will be our last year with our friends here. It was fun to go with a big group but toward the end we were being so slow we just did our own thing, but Ethan was just fine with that.
Ethan was his typical self while we were out. He had to eat the first piece of candy he got and he wanted to ride instead of walk. I had brought a stroller for Landon to ride in and he pretty much just stayed in there except for about 3 houses when he decided to go up to their doors. Once Ethan saw the free stroller he sat down in it and said that his legs were hurting and he was so tired.

Ethan was an Alligator this year, and Landon was a Bat. They were so cute in their costumes. Ethan would try to scare everyone he saw with his Alligator and Landon would clap his hand to make his wings flap.

When we got home we headed downstairs to check our loot. It was fun to come home and show Daddy all the yummy candy the boys got. We had such a good night. Thanks Aaron for staying home to pass out the candy so I could go out with the Boys.

Dinosaur Park

2011-10-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

We took a trip the the Dinosaur Park this Halloween season with some friends that Aaron worked with. Ethan has been a couple of times, but this was Landon's first time seeing all the Dinosaurs and trying to find Dinosaur bones.

Ethan had such a fun time getting to know new friends and running around and playing all afternoon.

We had such a fun time and can't wait to do it again.

Corn Maze

2011-10-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to a Corn Maze with Nate and Devanie's family. Ethan was so excited to go, but wasn't really sure what to expect. We decided to go before dark so it wouldn't be a haunted corn maze. This was mainly for me because I am such a wimp.

Thank goodness we had the kids or Aaron and I might still be lost in that maze. Ethan and Landon also got to pick a "gord' after we finished the maze.

Ethan had such a fun time with him cousins. They even went in a second time all by themselves. I was scared that they wouldn't be able to find their way out, but they made it just in time to have Daddy and Uncle Nate scare them.

Pretty much every day Ethan asks when we can go back to the "haunted house." It was a fun night and I am so glad we all got to go together.

Our New Home

2011-09-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

We are building a new home in Kaysville. We are very excited about how quickly it is going up and the boys have loved playing in the big dirt and rock piles around the house. We had our first walk through with the builder this morning and things seem to be going just as planned. Hopefully we will be in our home before Christmas. I hope everyone will come and visit us when it is finished.

Preschool 2011-2012

2011-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Ethan has started his last year of preschool. So far he is loving it. He amazes me every day at how brave he is. He walks straight into his class room and never looks back. He is also very excited to bring the snack next week. He has requested cottage cheese. I hope the other kids in his class like it as much as he does. We love you Ethan and hope you have a wonderful year at school.

Words

2011-09-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I decided to take the plunge and get rid of Landon's Binky. It was really an easy transition and I don't know why I waited so long. Ever since, he has been talking a lot more. These are a few of the things he is saying now.

Thank you = Tankoo
Please= pees
Drink= dink
Max= Mah
Ball= ball
Tomato= ball
Apple= ball
Grape= ball

Pretty much anything that is round is a ball in this house. We love to hear his cute little voice and can't wait to see the new words he will learn in the months to come.

Conversations

2011-08-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

This baby makes me smile all the time. We have pretty funny conversations so I thought I would share a few.

Conversation 1: Walking out of the grocery store
Me: Ethan, I love you.
Ethan: I love you more!
M: No, I love you more!
E :No, I love you all the way to heaven.
M: (Huge Smile)

Conversation 2: Playing at the park
Ethan blowing a dandilion
M: Make a wish
E: I wish, I wish to go to the temple someday.

Ethan has such a sweet spirit about him, it is very contagious. He is so wonderful I don't know what I would do without that little man.

Camping, Stout Style

2011-08-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago we decided to go camping Stout style. We invited Joe, Suzie, and their kids up to camp with us.

We pitched our tents , set up the fire pit, and got our hot dogs ready to roast.
The kids played on the play set and chased each other around while we finished eating. It was so fun to hear them all laughing and having a good time together.

Aaron and Ethan slept outside and Landon and I slept inside. I don't thing either of them slept very well because at about 10am Ethan was asking me if he could go and take a nap, which never happens, usually he is trying to talk his way out of one.
It was a fun evening, maybe next year we will go camping in the mountains and go exploring.

Playing at the Bay

2011-08-22T19:26:00.001-07:00

Before Aaron started his new job we went to play at Willard Bay with our good friends the Snows. The boys love water, mud, and being outside so it was a perfect day. We brought our shovels and buckets and were ready to play.

The kids had a great time riding in the Snow's boat. The kids were pulled around in a raft and it was so cute to see them smiling and having a fun time.

It has been about 5 years since I have been out on the water. I am usually very good at water skiing and wake boarding but I had a little difficulty this time. It was very fun to be out there again though, and I hope that I will be able to go out again.

Thanks for such a fun day Aaron, Roger, and Corene. We really need to do it again.

Swim Lessons 2011

2011-08-08T19:32:00.001-07:00

Ethan ROCKED his swim lessons this year. He was so brave and did everything his teacher asked him to do. He put his head all the way under the water, blew bubbles while doing swim strokes with his teacher, and jumped off the side of the pool to his teacher.

We put Ethan in a class with his friend. They had a great time swimming together and it was so cute to see them swimming. I can't believe they are both 4. Time sure goes by quickly.
On the last two days of his swim lessons Ethan jumped off the diving board. I was so proud of him. He was so brave and never even thought twice about doing it. I am very excited to see what he does next year.
Way to go Ethan, you BRAVE little man.

Jackson Hole

2011-08-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

We took a little trip up to Jackson Hole to go on a rafting trip. I got a good deal on City Deals for the trip. I was so excited because I was looking for a fun inexpensive trip for us to take, but when I started looking for a place to stay I was floored at how expensive it was to stay there. Luckily Aaron found us a place to lay our heads for not to much. We went with Joe and Suzie and had such a fun and relaxing weekend.

The rafting trip was fun and Aaron and Joe kept us entertained with all their jokes.

We ate at the Bar J Ranch and saw a fun show.

We also had a fun time walking around the shops and buying things for the kids. The boys were happy to have us back but when I asked Ethan if he missed me he said NO! I guess that means I am ok to take another little vacation with just Aaron. Where are we going honey?

18 months

2011-07-15T11:31:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that my baby is 18 months already. He is growing up to quickly. Landon did great at his appointment. His stats are

Height 33.5inches 80%
Weight 22lbs 5%
Head Circ. 47.5 45%

He is still very lean and tall. He loves to run around with his brother, and it is the sweetest sound to hear them laughing together. He still loves to kick and throw balls around the house and outside.
His favorite foods are bananas, yogurt, pancakes, cottage cheese, mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets. He pretty much eats whatever I put in front of him which is nice. He still has a little bit of a temper and gets jealous when other kids get to close to Mommy or Daddy, but I am hoping that will go away as he gets older. We sure love our little boys electric blue eyes and his beautiful smile.

2011-07-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Going to a park in Phoenix on a hot June day was just out of the question. So since the boys got up super early we were out the door by 8:30. Both the boys love to play at the park. They love digging in the sand and Landon loves to through it (of course). Landon came back with sand stuck to his sweaty head but had a wonderful time in the process. It was fun to be able to swing and go down the slides without getting burned. Ethan is a great brother and always encourages Landon to go down the slide and run and play with him.

Road Trip 2011

2011-06-30T18:58:00.001-07:00

We took a road trip to Phoenix to visit Grandma, Grandpa, Josie, Abu, and Lizzy. The boys did so well. We decided to leave late in the afternoon again so the boys would sleep most of the way. We stopped at a play place about 4 hours into the drive so the kids could run around for a little bit and then it was back in the car for the last leg of the trip. Aaron was wonderful and drove the second half of the trip. The kids were very excited to arrive in Phoenix and so was I. It was a good start to a wonderful trip.

4yr old Well Child Visit

2011-06-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Height: 38 inches 10%
Weight: 33.4lbs 40%

Is he a Stout or what!
Ethan's well child visit went very well. I am still having a hard time believing he is 4 already. Ethan is truly a joy to have around. He loves being 4 and tells everyone he meets how old he is. He loves to make up and tell stories. This is something that we do while we are eating dinner. He loves to ride his bike, and play with his friends. Most of his friends are already in kindergarten, but they all seem to get along just fine. He loves his Daddy very much and the first thing he usually says to me in the morning is "Where is Dad?" It is so cute the special bond they have. Ethan still takes an afternoon nap for us, which I am so grateful for. I think this part he gets from him mother. I love to take naps and could take one every day if I had the chance. Ethan's favorite food is still cottage cheese. Which I love because it is easy to take places and good for him. His favorite thing to drink is chocolate milk. We have to limit the amount of drinks he gets because he would rather drink then eat.
Ethan is a great big brother. Most of the time he loves having Landon around. He is always willing to push him on the little scoot cars, and to play together with his toys until Landon starts to destroy things. Which is when I hear him call "Mom, can you come and get Landon he is messing things up." He has also discovered girls and always tells me how pretty they are and wants to know their names. He is so much like his Daddy it is funny.
Ethan has the greatest smile. It is very addictive and makes you just want to pick him up and give him an big hug. We love our Little/Big 4 year old.

Graduation

2011-05-30T12:15:00.001-07:00

Last Monday was Ethan's preschool graduation. It was at the park under the bowery, and good thing it was because it was poring rain. Ethan was able to sit by his friend Cole and he even stayed in his chair the whole time.

This teachers Ms. Amy and Ms. Shelly made hats for all the kids to wear. They also sang us some songs that they had learned throughout the year. It was very cute to hear all those little voices singing the days of the week and about the months.

Funny side note: Before we left I asked Ethan if he wanted to wear a jacket because it was going to be cool. He looked up at me with his wide brown eyes and said, Mom 4 year old don't wear jackets. To which I smiled and said, Oh well now I know.

Happy Birthday Ethan

2011-05-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

This year for Ethan's 4th Birthday we decided on a Batman party because he loves Batman. There were some really great ideas out there on the web so I decided that instead of re-inventing the wheel I would use some of the great ideas that I read about. We started out the party with decorating their Batman capes with stars and letters. All superheros need to look good. We also had all the kids get a Batman symbol painted on their face. They all looked so cute. Next we headed outside for an obstacle course which Aaron put together. All our superheros needed to learn to be quick on there feet and be aware of their surroundings because you never know when someone would try to attack you. The kids were really fast and had a fun time racing through the course. After going through the obstacle course the kids needed to be able to fight evil villains. I put evil villain pictures on black balloons and put them on the lawn then all the kids got silly string and attacked those evil villains. The silly string wasn't fun to clean up, but it was totally worth it.
Superheroes also have to have supper strength so all the kids had to lift 200lbs dumbbells, they were all so strong!

After attacking evil villains the kids had to use their minds to guess how many candies were in a jar. We also had one for the adults too. One of Ethan's friends from preschool was the closest and his Uncle Nathan won the one for the adults.

After all the activities we went inside for presents, cake and ice cream. The cake was yummy and the kids were great to eat it outside on the lawn.

Thanks for everyone who was able to come and support Ethan on his special day. Also thanks for all the extra help with watching kids and helping dish up the dessert.
My camera broke the day of the party, so I am still collecting all the photos, I will add more as I get them:)

The Train

2011-05-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Almost every night after Aaron gets home from work Ethan asks if he can pull them around on the train. Of course being the great Dad that he is he always says yes. Ethan will run to his room rip his lightning McQueen blanket off his bed and run it over to Aaron. As soon as the blanket is on the floor Landon immediately climbs on with Ethan soon to follow. It is so fun to hear the boys laughing and smiling as their Daddy drags them around the house. I sure love my little family.

Easter Weekend

2011-05-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time at our parks Easter egg hunt. Aaron came with us this year because Landon was old enough to participate. Landon quickly grabbed 2 pieces of candy and didn't let go of them. I asked him if he wanted to get anymore and he said No. Aaron took off with Ethan to get away from the main group and he got some delicious treats. It was so cute to see all the kids hunting for eggs.

The night before Easter I put Ethan to bed and told him that if he got out of bed the Easter bunny wasn't going to come to our house. He stayed in bed and went to sleep, but that night he woke up with a bad night mare. Aaron went in to take care of him and I guess Ethan was so upset because he thought the Easter Bunny wouldn't come to our house now. I felt awful that morning, but the boys were so happy that the Easter Bunny did indeed come to their house.

We kept having to remind Ethan about why we celebrate Easter. It was cute to see his little brain thinking about the true meaning of the holiday.

We also had a wonderful dinner and egg hunt with Aaron's family. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter too.

16 months

2011-04-03T19:59:00.001-07:00

I can't even believe that my baby is 16 months old. He is such a wonderful boy and we love him to pieces. I was supposed to do this at 15 months, but when we went in for his well baby visit he was running a high fever and had another ear infection. So one month late here are his stats.
Height- 33 inches, 85%
Weight- 21 lbs, 5%
Head- 47cm, 30%

He is still tall and lean. Landon loves to smile and has an addictive laugh just like his brother and Daddy.

He loves to play and he is always getting into things. We have to watch him closely, and Aaron is putting latches on the cupboards as I am typing this.

Landon is so smart. He picks things up so quickly and loves to play. He understands everything we say to him which is so fun even though he can't talk back to us. He can say mama, dada, ball, dog,and No. Favorite word, ball. So cute!

Landon is such a good eater. He also has to have either a fork or spoon to eat with just like his brother. He loves cottage cheese, oatmeal, bananas, apples, grapes, beans, all veggies, and his favorite has to be peanut butter and jelly. Which is one of my favorites too.

Landon loves his brother and often is his shadow. He follows Ethan everywhere and starts to cry when Ethan leaves him in another room without telling him where he is going. It is so cute to see them together. Landon we love you so much. Keep growing and learning and being our little snuggle bug.

Tubes

2011-03-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

Landon has had, I think, 5 or 6 ear infections in the last 3 months. I have lost count, and I have been concerned about all the antibiotics he has been on. I discussed with his Pediatrician about getting tubes put in his ears and Dr. Church thought it would be a good idea. He referred us to a great ENT Doctor and last Wednesday he had the ear tubes placed.
Landon was so brave. We played in the waiting room, met the anesthesiologist, and said hi to his doctor and then they took him down the hall for a little nap.

The surgery went well. His ears weren't as yucky as Ethan's but I think we did them sooner than his brother. He was not happy in the recovery area so I just held him, snuggled with his blankie, and sang songs. By the time our mandatory half an hour rolled around we were both ready to get home.

By the afternoon he was back to his normal self. Playing catch with a ball, and eating snacks on the recliner. He was so brave and I am so grateful to the wonderful Doctors in our area.

Rock Climbing

2011-03-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago my parents came to visit us and my Dad is really into rock climbing so we decided to hit a climbing gym and see if Ethan was ready to scale the walls.

He was very brave and climbed a little bit of the "boulder" while we were waiting for our turn.

Aaron was brave and went first. He did a great job and climbed with ease.

Grandpa Nelson was like a spider climbing the wall. It was so fun to hear all about the climbing he has been doing in Arizona. I can't wait to go and visit and have him take us with him.

And that is me way up there. I was the only one to make it that high. I had such a good time and realized how much I love to go rock climbing. We are trying to plan another time to go so if you would like to come with us you won't regret it.

Sunday sounds

2011-03-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

While at church today Ethan and Aaron had some funny conversations. Ethan asked his Daddy when he could have his cottage cheese. Aaron told him as soon as someone gets up and talks into the microphone. To which he just turned away and started to play with his trucks. A little while later he came back to Aaron and asked if anyone was talking into the microwave. Aaron started laughing and so did the Clark family in front of us. Then a little while later he asked Aaron loudly "Is it time to go yet!" Which the Clark's also started to laugh at. They told us it was fun to sit in front of us today, and I am glad they could enjoy the funny things my little boys says.

Field Trip

2011-03-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

Ethan's field trip this month was at the Tree House Museum. I was very excited to go with him because I am always working on Fridays, but I was able to get this Friday off. It was so fun to see him with his class. He always seems to be more out going when I am not around, but after the first story he warmed up.

The boys had a fun time climbing on the train and just playing around.

Ethan had fun with his friend Jace on the fire truck.

Ethan, Cole and Landon really had fun in the music area and Ethan only whacked himself once in the face. I would say that is pretty good for a day out.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

This year I actually decided to do something festive. Last night we had cornbeef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage. It was very delicious and I was so proud of myself for trying something new. All my boys really loved it.
Today we had a GREEN breakfast. Green pancakes and eggs. I couldn't bring myself to change the milk, maybe next year though.

After naps we whipped up some chocolate cupcakes and decorated them with yummy frosting and sour patch kids. Ethan was a wonderful helper and couldn't wait for a taste. Landon was very fascinated and could wait to get his hands on a cupcake.

San Francisco

2011-03-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I was able to go and see my sister Lizzy (Elizabeth) in San Francisco. I was very excited to see the city and visit with my sister, parents, and Aunt.

We went to The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Lizzy's school, first. Her name was on the board outside the front doors for her recital, so cool. For dinner we went to a wonderful Chicago style pizza place, it was so good and I am still thinking about it.
While Lizzy was rehearsing for an opera we wandered the area and saw the Ballet Theatre, Opera House, Symphony Hall, and some other places I can't remember. They were all very beautiful and fun to see.

We attended the Opera that Lizzy was playing in. It was very good, but lasted too long.
Sunday we went to the Port of San Francisco which had a bunch of really cute and unique shops.

Who doesn't want Tasty Salted Pig Parts, I know I sure love them :)

It was very foggy on Sunday so it was hard to see some things, but at the same time very beautiful.

We also saw these really cool boats, and the Sea Lions on Pier 39.

We also went to the the Japanese Tea Gardens it was very beautiful.

We were also able to go and see the Golden Gate Bridge. It was Amazing, a little scary to walk across, but well worth it.

And the whole reason for the trip was to see Lizzy's recital. You ROCKED IT baby girl. I am truly in awe every time I hear you play. Thanks for letting me stay with you and for showing us how to get places. We love you.

Sweet Sounds

2011-02-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

Ethan and Landon laughing together under the table, in the back of the car, in the bath, and well just about anywhere.
Hearing Ethan singing to Landon.
Listening to my boys breathing while they sleep.
Hearing little voices say I love you mommy.
We have many sweet sounds around here and I can't wait till tomorrow to hear more.

Valentines Day 2011

2011-02-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

This was Ethan first year to make/put together valentines for his preschool class. Ethan bought his own valentines at All a Dollar and was very excited when they had X-men ones. Sunday evening Ethan and I put suckers on his valentines and after about two of them Ethan informed me that he wanted to eat one. I kept telling him that his friends would be giving him valentines and that he would get some candy, but all he wanted was that sucker, so I gave in and let him eat one.

Landon also loves suckers so when he saw Ethan with one he immediately started to fuss so we let him have a little sucker of his own.

For a Valentines treat I made chocolate covered strawberries which the boys both really loved.

Aaron bought the boys a little present and then he and I went to dinner. It was so nice to go out together and actually be able to concentrate on what the other one was saying. I sure am in love with that man and am truly blessed to have him in my life. Thanks for a great night Aaron, I love you.

Ethan's valentine bag from school. He is getting so big.

Landon love his big bear.

Murphy's Law

2011-01-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

Murphy's Law "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"
We lost our insurance in December and ever since then we have been to the doctors office five times. Yes that is more than once a week.
January has been our month of being sick. Landon has had two ear infections and pink eye. Ethan has had two ear infections, and I have had a really bad cold with a sinus infection. We have to laugh about it all though because we rarely go to the doctors office and then this month we have almost lived there. I am glad that we have had enough in savings to be able to go to the doctors though, and I can't wait until we get insurance again because that will mean we will all be well again. Since I have been sick for most of the month I have not taken any pictures and have spent most days in my pajamas. I will be better at blogging in February so stay tuned for what that Stout's are up to next month.

Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-30T19:54:00.000-08:00

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, Oh How we Love thy Branches.

The ghetto tree returned this year for its final viewing. Honestly, it has been a really good tree to us. It was a great price, a perfect size for storing, and super simple to put together.

Ethan was such a big help this year as we decorated our little tree. He even helped his Daddy put the lights on the tree and the banister.

We will miss our little tree, but hopefully next year we will have some fun memories finding a new one.

Temple Square Lights

2010-12-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

This year we decided to go to Salt Lake and see the lights at Temple Square. The boys have never seen the lights and it has been many years since Aaron or I have been there. We picked Aaron up from work last Tuesday and went over to the Temple. It was a little difficult to find a parking spot but we eventually found one. It was a perfect night to go, there were hardly any people so we were able to get close up to the manger seen and all the fountains which Ethan loved. The weather was perfect though. It was slightly cool because a storm was supposed to come in that night, but it was warm enough that Aaron didn't wear a coat.
The lights were truly beautiful and it was just what we needed to put us in the "real" Christmas spirit.

Happy 29th

2010-12-09T19:23:00.000-08:00

I had another great Birthday this year. It all started with going to dinner with my sweet husband, and two boys on Saturday. I love being with my family and making memories together. Then on Sunday Ethan and Aaron made me a birthday cake. It was very delicious.

I had to laugh at Ethan while we were eating my birthday cake. I am not a big fan of frosting, but Aaron loves it and so does his Dad. I took the top layer of frosting off of my piece and put it by the side of my plate. Ethan asked what it was and I told him it was frosting, he looked at me and asked if he could have it. I looked at Aaron, smiled and then gave the frosting to Ethan. He is just like his Dad. I love that minnie Aaron.

I sure hope the last year of my 20's will be a wonderful year. Thanks to all the family and friends that called, wrote, and sang to me on my Birthday. I am truly blessed to know such wonderful people.

Landon is 1

2010-12-02T20:40:00.001-08:00

Wow this year sure has gone by in a flash. I still can't believe that my little Landon is one. He has been such a blessing in our lives.

Landon is now 30.5 inches long (75%), 19.4 pounds (5%), and has a head circumference of 46 centimeters (45%). He is becoming such a big boy.

Landon loves cereal. He is always looking for someone to share with him, or have a bowl of his own. He is a little more pickier with food then his brother, but is learning to like more foods as he gets older. He does love cottage cheese though:)

Landon's favorite toy is any type of ball. He is so cute with them. He throws them and chases them, throws them and chases them, over and over again. He also loves to play with his brother and Daddy, well mostly he just tries to chew on all the toys. He is a very fast crawler, and pulls himself up on the furniture and cruises around the house.

He loves listening to music with his Daddy and dancing/bouncing to the beat. He loves to smile and laugh and I just love to hear his little voice.

We are so excited to see all of the things he will accomplish in the years to come.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-30T17:39:00.001-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving we were blessed to spend it with my family in Phoenix. We headed down early to avoid the snow storms, and we arrived Sunday at about 2:00am. I was so excited to spend a couple more days with my parents, sisters, and grandparents.

There were 22 people this year for Thanksgiving dinner and more than enough food for everyone. Ethan had a great time eating by his Daddy, and his Uncle Abu. I am not really sure if he even ate any food, but I know he had a wonderful time.

Ethan loved the pumpkin cheese cake and Josie won the award for most pieces of pie eaten. Can you believe such a little girl ate 5 pieces:)

Ethan was so exhausted by the end of the day that he zonked out on the couch. He was such a good boy all day long and did great even without a nap.

Landon loved eating pie with his Daddy.

This Thanksgiving was so much fun. We have so much to be thankful for, but most of all I am thankful for my eternal family which I love dearly.

Family Home Evening

2010-11-13T19:44:00.000-08:00

We have been trying to have Family Home Evening this month. We invited the Snow's to come and play with us, enjoy a good meal, have a lesson, and then a wonderful dessert.

Corene is a wonderful cook and I was trying to make banana cream pie for the first time so I called her up and asked if she, and her family, would come over and help me.
We had a great meal of Lasagna, green beans, and salad. I gave a lesson about sharing and the kids had a really good time. Then we partook of the banana cream pie, and I would have to say that it was delicious.

Ryder kept having to move around the table so Landon wouldn't get his pie.

It was such a fun night, and I hope to do it again soon.
Corene thanks so much for helping me with the pie it was so good.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

We had a great Halloween this year. We invited some of Aaron's family to come up to eat and go Trick-o-Treating with us. Ethan was so excited to see his cousins that he only ate one bite of his pizza, and just laughed at his cousins until it was time to leave.

It was a rainy night, but that didn't stop us. We went through the neighborhood with the Stouts, Reads, and Dawsons. It was fun to see all the kids together and they all looked so cute.

Landon loves to be outside and even though it was raining on us he had a great time. We bundled him up, with warm clothes and hat, so he was not able to be a cowboy, but I know next year he will be keeping up with his brother.

It was a great night and my Buzz lightyear had a really fun time. He is still wearing the wings of his costume, so cute.
We hope you all had a great Halloween night too.

Organize

2010-10-29T19:18:00.001-07:00

Ethan has many toys and I have tried multiple ways to keep them somewhat organized, but lately I have felt like we needed a better system, so I have invested in this.

So far Ethan has been really great at putting his toys in the right bins. I think I will help him by labeling them with words and pictures. I know that the excitement will probably wear off about how "fun" it is to put away your toys, but I sure hope it doesn't.

Buzz Lightyear to Preschool

2010-10-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

Today was wear your costume to school day. Ethan was so excited to wear his Buzz Lighyear costume and to show all of his friends.

Ethan looked so cute in his costume and many of the little kids were so excited to see a Buzz Lightyear. One little boy kept touching the wings and belt of Ethan's costume and saying how cool they were. If you know Ethan this makes him very uncomfortable and he immediately froze and kept giving me a worried look. So I distracted them by taking a picture.

All the kids were so cute and I can't wait to see all the neighborhood kids in their costumes this weekend.

Ethan with his best friend Cole. They are so cute together.
Sorry Ethan is always looking away in these pictures, but he was a little distracted by all the things going on around him.

Pumpkin Man

2010-10-26T19:23:00.001-07:00

Ethan's second field trip was to the Pumpkin Man. I was not able to go with him, but he had a great time with his friend Cole and his Mom. Ethan was able to get a pumpkin and he was very excited to show his Mommy and Daddy when we returned home from work.

It has been fun to see him learning about letters, colors, shapes, and numbers while also having a great time in school.

He is growing up so fast, boy time sure does fly when you're having fun.

Sick Boys

2010-10-24T13:40:00.001-07:00

Ethan and Landon have both had the flu this weekend, and boy it has not been fun. It all started last night when we were heading home from Salt Lake and Ethan threw up in the car four times. Thank goodness Wendy was with me to help catch the chunks.

Even though Ethan was so sick he kept thanking me for washing his blankie, he is so sweet, I love that kid.

We had to take a couple of baths also, but the boys seemed to really enjoy this part.

We were up all night and I think I got only about an hour and a half of sleep. I was so exhausted that I had a little melt down this morning while adding my 4th load of laundry to the washing machine. The boys are doing a lot better now, and so am I. It is amazing what a shower can do for you.

I am glad that I don't have to work until Tuesday, and that Aaron will be back tomorrow too. I knew something bad would happen when he was gone, it always does. Come home soon my love.

Fish Farm

2010-10-03T18:09:00.000-07:00

On Ethan's first field trip he went to the fish farm. They had just learned about fish in his class and he was very excited to go.

He was all smiles before heading out to the fish farm.

Ethan with his fishing pole.

Ethan with his fish, he didn't want to hold it. He kept saying that it was slimy.

Ethan and his class made fish puppets to take home. He loved cutting his puppet with scissors. He really loves being with his class mates and asks to see them all the time.

My little boy was so exhausted that he fell asleep instantly in the car on the way home.

Daddy's Little Helper

2010-09-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday when Aaron gets home from work he quickly changes and heads outside to mow the lawn. Ethan loves to spend every moment with his Dad when he gets home, so he hurries to put on his shoes and follows his Daddy outside to do the yard work. It is so cute to see Aaron with his little boy. I can't help but smile at them.

Ethan loves to water the plants. Aaron loves to put him to work so he can get things done a little faster. He is really becoming such a big and independent boy.

Happy Birthday Aaron

2010-09-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Aaron. We celebrated Aaron's Birthday last weekend. It was nothing to fancy, but we sure had a fun time eating cake and ice cream with him and watching him open his presents.

This year we got Aaron Denver Broncos tickets, a nice shirt, and some beef jerky. He loved it all and thanks for those who called or sent gifts.

Aaron we love you so much! I am so glad we could share your Birthday with you. Thanks for being such a wonderful husband, and father. May the next year be even more wonderful.

Let the Games Begin

2010-09-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Football season has officially started and we are so EXCITED! We were able to go down to Aaron's parents house to have our first of many football parties. We dressed in our football gear, and brought our snacks.

Mike and Carolee had the sandwich fixings and deserts, and we brought veggies and cheese, yum! The boys were so great. Ethan played with his toys and Landon played/ gnawed on Grandma's pretend keys.

Even though the Broncos didn't win, so sad, it was so much fun hanging out with Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins. Thanks everyone, we had a really great day.
P.S. I am ready to kick some booty in fantasy football this year! GO GRINDING MOLARS!

9 months

2010-09-11T06:45:00.001-07:00

My baby is growing up so quickly. These past 9 months have just flown by.

Landon at 9 months

Height: 29 inches, 75%
Weight: 17.3 lbs, 5%
Head: 44.5 cm, 25%

Dr. Church was slightly concerned about his weight, so he encouraged me to add in one more meal of solid food and come back in a month for a weight check.

Landon loves to put everything in his mouth, and now has four teeth, two on top and two on bottom.

Landon loves to look at himself in the mirror. He immediately starts to smile and will sometimes laugh at himself. It is so cute to watch. He is also a very fast crawler, and loves to chase his brother. They are so funny together.

At 9 months Landon is still a great sleeper. He is still taking 3 naps, and goes down for bed about 7. Randomly he will get up in the middle of the night to chug 8oz of milk. I don't like getting out of bed, but I sure do love snuggling him. He is so soft and warm.

We are so in love with our little guy, and can't wait to see all the amazing things he will discover as he grows.

1st Day of Preschool

2010-09-08T15:34:00.001-07:00

It is official my baby is growing up.

Ethan had back to school night, last night. He made a school bus with his name on it for his cubby, traced letters with cars, played with airplanes in a rice tote, and met his teachers Ms. Shelly, and Ms. Amy, they are so sweet.
Today was his first day of preschool, and boy was he brave. He was excited to take his backpack and pencil to school. We walked right in the front door, went down to his class and he went right over to Ms. Shelly. She showed him his cubby, with his blue school bus taped on the back, and he put his backpack in it. He immediately started to play with the other kids and never looked back. Wow, I wish I was that brave. I guess he gets it from his Father.

While Ethan was at school, Landon took a nap, I unloaded the dishwasher, did two loads of laundry, picked up the front room, printed off my Dental Hygiene delegate information, read my email, and talked to the insurance company. It was a nice quiet morning, but I was glad when he came home.
Ethan I am so glad you had a great first day, and I hope you have many more.

Mission Beach

2010-09-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

While in San Diego we went to the beach every night and Ethan and Landon loved every moment of it. Ethan loved it so much that every morning when he woke up he would ask us if we were going to the beach.

The boys loved being out on the beach. Well, technically we weren't on the beach side, but were on the bay side. This was much better for us because we didn't have to worry about the waves taking Ethan out to sea.

This was our first family vacation that we planned. We learned a couple of things. First, don't cram to many things in (and) Second, our kids just want to play on the beach, and who could blame them.
I love the beach and San Diego. I would live there if we could afford it and if I didn't have to re-take the Dental Hygiene boards. So as for now we will just have to visit, but if you would like to come and share in our fun we would love to have you. Next time of course.

San Diego Zoo

2010-08-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

WOW! What a Zoo. I love going to the zoo, and I was very excited to visit the San Diego Zoo with my husband, the boys, and Aaron's parents. Our first stop was the guided bus tour. This tour takes you all around the zoo and tells you about the animals and plants in the zoo. It was slightly long, but nice for us because we knew we would not be able to see all the animals.

We saw Polar Bears, California Condors, Meerkats, Brown Bears, and many, many more animals, and some beautiful plants from around the world.

We also got to see Koalas. They were so CUTE! Did you know that they sleep 22 hours a day.

Here are some more pictures of our fun day.

We ended our day with a bird show. It was very cute and topped off our wonderful day.

Lego Land

2010-08-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

On our second full day in San Diego we headed out to Lego Land. Neither Aaron nor I had been there before so we were not sure what to expect. There were some long lines to wait in, which Ethan wasn't very excited about, so we tried to go on rides with only a 10 minute wait.
Aaron and Ethan went on a helicopter ride together and Ethan and I went on a boat ride.

Ethan loved steering the boat, and didn't want me to touch the steering wheel.

Landon was such a good baby while we were waiting in lines and riding on different rides.

We also saw a show in 3D about a lego racer. It was pretty cute and gave us some time out of the sun, and in some air conditioning.

On our way out we saw Darth Vader and R2D2 made out of Lego.

Lego Land is one of those theme parks that you feel like you have to do and see everything so If I lived in San Diego I would totally get a membership to Lego Land, and then we wouldn't have to be so rushed. It has a really fun water park, a regular play area for little kids made out of Lego, and a splash pad in the pirates cove. Oh and don't forget all the rides, and shows. We weren't able to go on some rides because of Ethan's broken collar bone, and the long lines but maybe next time.

Sea World

2010-08-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great day at Sea World. We stopped at the Shamu show first thing and had a fun time watching the amazing tricks that the whales could do.

Grandpa and Grandma Stout came with us too.

We also saw dolphins, starfish, which Ethan got to touch, sea turtles and sea lions.

We had a great day, but were exhausted on our way back to the hotel. The boys were so good even though they were both tired. They both fell asleep on our way out of the park, and Aaron kept saying that it would be nice to have someone carry him out of the park so he could sleep all the way back to the hotel.

Great Grandpa Nelson

2010-08-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

We went to Arizona last month to visit my Grandfather, the Boy's Great Grandpa. My wonderful Grandpa is sick, so we went to see him and make some more memories together.

We were able to get pictures of my Dad and two of his sisters with his parents. It was nice to get together and talk for awhile before my Grandpa got to tired.

We had lunch with my Grandparents and when Ethan was finished he wanted to watch a show on Great Grandpa's television. My Grandpa has a hard time hearing so he has headphones that he listens to the TV with. Ethan was so excited to wear them that we almost forgot he was in the room.

Landon loved hangin' out on Great Grandpa's couch.

I have been very blessed that my boys have been able to know their Great Grandparents and that Ethan has been able to fall in love with them. He loved to talk to my Grandpa and had to tell him everything that he was doing. It was so cute to have Ethan ask if we were going to go and see my Grandparents while we were in Arizona.
Grandpa I love you so much. Thank you for always supporting and loving me. I am so proud to call you my Grandpa. You have been a wonderful example in my life, thanks again for always being there for me. LOVE YOU!

Hall of Flame Fire Museum

2010-08-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

While in Phoenix, Lizzy and I took the boys to the Hall of Flame Fire Museum. I thought it was free and that we would only have to make a little donation, but when we arrived I was surprised that we had to pay. But really is anything free anymore?
It was fun seeing all the different types of fire trucks that have been around over the years.

There was even a truck that we could play on. Ethan was so excited to climb up on the big fire truck, play with the buttons, steer us to a fire and put on a fire helmet. He is such a cute little boy and tons of fun to be around.

There was also a play area that taught us all about fire safety. Ethan and Landon had a fun time sitting on the little fire truck.

It was a fun afternoon staying cool and being with each other.

The Hike

2010-07-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

We hiked to Blue Body Pond on our camping trip. Aaron carried Ethan and I carried Landon, well most of the way. It was a beautiful hike down to the ponds, and by the time we go there we were ready to get into the cool water.

Ethan loved playing in the water and so did his Grandpa.

It was so nice at the bottom in the water, but we had to hike back up. So we straped the babies on and headed out.

Thanks Dad for carrying Landon the rest of the way up. He was totally cute sleeping most of the way up and I know that we were all wishing we could sleep up the trail instead of walk up it.

Family Camp

2010-07-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

We headed out to Boulder, Utah to get a little closer to nature and my family. The boys did great on the drive and Ethan helped the local plants by watering them.

We had such a great time sitting by the fire, roasting marshmallows, eating smore's, and having a great time laughing and talking.

Rada loved holding Landon, and how could she not, he is so cute.

I love getting together with my sisters. They are so much fun!

We did crafts, played games, and just had a really great time with each other.

Thanks everyone for clearing your schedules to come to family camp. I had such a great time and I wish we could all live in the same "coul-de-sac" so we could see each other every day.

Family Reunions 2010

2010-07-26T19:43:00.001-07:00

We had two family reunions a couple of weeks ago. The first was for my family. I was able to spend some time with my Grandparents, my Aunt, one of my cousins, and his family. It was fun to touch base with everyone and see my Grandparents that I love so much.

The next reunion we went to was for Aaron's family. We had a great time seeing Aaron's parents, Ethan's cousin's and his extended family.

There was a pool and a bounce castle. Ethan had such a fun time playing that he totally zonked out on our way back home.

July 4th 2010

2010-07-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

We had a great 4th of July this year. We started the day off at the Cherry Day's parade. Ethan had great time seeing the fire trucks, floats, and collecting candy.

Even though Landon missed his morning nap he was still such a good boy. I bought him this hat and I think he looks so cute in it.

After the parade we headed home for naps and to get ready for our party. We had a great dinner and the kids had a fabulous time playing on the play set in the back yard. After dinner we headed out front for our annual balloon launching contest. It was a BLAST!!! Many of our neighbors came over to see if they could get in on the fun too, and lots of cars stopped to watch, it was pretty funny.

Our friends the Snow's came over to help us celebrate. They have the cutest kids, and Ethan loves to play with them.

Every year we shoot off army men fire works. All the kids chase after them and try to catch them, it is tons of fun watching the kids run around trying to see where they will land.

Ethan loved the Sparklers this year and made great shapes with them.

This year we had a glow stick decorating competition. I think it was a tie between Kak and Joe. Everyone really got into it. We had such a great time that I think we will do it every year.

The Three Amigos!

Thanks everyone for coming up to celebrate with us. We sure love having the 4th of July at our house, and hope to make many more memories as the years go on.

So Brave

2010-06-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ethan had his dental appointment to fix some cavities, and to remove some gum tissue so his canine tooth can come through. He was such a good little boy. He was silly with the oral sedation, and would talk very slow. He kept trying to stand up and play, but was very wobally when he did.

Ethan did great during the appointment and slept the rest of the afternoon. It was nice to be able to get some cleaning done around the house while he was out cold. His mouth is doing great and he is his silly self again.

He sure looked cute with his Elephant nose on.

Toes

2010-06-05T21:47:00.001-07:00

Is there anything better than baby toes?

Every chance Landon gets he tries to chew on his toes. It is pretty cute.

He would even rather chew on his toes than play with his toys. It is pretty funny to watch him go for his toes as soon as I take off his socks. Really, toes are way more exciting than toys.

Day with Thomas the Train

2010-06-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday we headed down to Heber to spend the day with Thomas the train. Nate and Devanie invited us to go with there family, and it was so much fun hanging out with them.

Ethan really isn't a Thomas the train fan, but he does love trains. Ethan got to get a Thomas tattoo, and a really neat snake balloon, which I think was his favorite thing of the day.

It was fun riding the train and being together as a family.

Thanks Nate and Devanie for a wonderful day with Thomas.

Huntsman Cancer Institute

2010-05-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Today I went down to the Huntsman Cancer Institute to get the cancer under my eye taken off. I was feeling a little nervous last night, but was hopeful that things would go smoothly.
I got a little lost once I was up by the University Hospitals, but after going up and down the main road a couple of times I eventually found the right building. I brought many things to do because I wasn't sure how long I would have to be there. The surgery is done and then they have to process the tissue that was taken to make sure all the cancer is gone, so it could take multiple times. Luckily for me Dr. Summers got all of mine on the first try. The nurse was very pleased, and offered to show me the "wound". I wanted to see it because that stuff is very interesting to me, but I was very shocked by what I saw. The "wound" was about the size of a dime, and deep. I immediately started crying and couldn't think how my face would ever be the same. Dr. Summers discussed that he would need to make an incision on each side of the "wound" so he could bring the edges together and stitch it up. Now I have a huge bandage under my eye. The bandage is really annoying because my eye lashes close right on it. Dr. Summers says that I shouldn't have a very noticeable scar and that that area usually heals very well.
As of now I will have to ignore all the stares from strangers and I hope to never return again.

Ethan tells me I look like a pirate, what do you think?

Happy Birthday Ethan

2010-05-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ethan's 3rd birthday on Saturday. I decided to have a dinosaur party for him because as we all know Ethan loves dinosaurs. We had it at the park so the kids could play and have a fun time. Even though it was freezing they seemed not to mind.

Check out this cake. I am pretty proud of it.

Ethan loves to whack things, so I knew that we needed to get a pinata for him to hit. Everyone seemed to love hitting the dinosaur.

Happy Birthday Ethan. We love you so much and can't wait to see all the wonderful things you do this year.

6 Months

2010-05-20T14:48:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that my baby is already 6 months old. He is still a wonderful baby and we love having him in our home. We went to the Doctors yesterday and Landon isn't as big as I though he was.

Height 26 & 1/2 inches 50%
Weight 15.12 lbs 25%
Head Circumference 25%

So I guess my little guy is just average and skinny.

Landon loves to chew on anything he can get his hands on. Especially his brother's toys, so we have to be careful about what is on the floor and around him.

He loves to hang out on the couch and watch his brother play and be silly.

Landon is rolling over now and Ethan cheers for him and lets me know when he does it.

If you are ever feeling sad just come over and smile at Landon and he will smile right back at you. It sure makes my day.

Landon we love you and are so glad to have you in our lives.

Becoming a Big Boy

2010-05-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

What is wrong with this picture?

Ethan is becoming such a big boy. He is learning to put on his own clothes, but has a little trouble sometimes. I sure do get a big laugh when he come in looking like this (above and below). I am a little sad that he is becoming so independant, but am greatful at the same time.
We sure do love our big boy, and are so happy to have him in our home.

Worms

2010-05-11T19:46:00.001-07:00

Aaron worked in the yard this past weekend, and Ethan discovered a love of worms. At first Ethan wasn't very excited about them, but his Dad quickly showed him how much fun they were to pick up and put places.

Ethan was so excited about his worms that he came inside to get me so he could show his worms to me.

He kept squishing the worms in half when he would pick them up. He is such a boy and it is so cute to watch him growing up.

Dermatology update

2010-05-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

I went to the Dermatologist yesterday to get the results of my biopsy's, and to get the other mole taken off my toe. The mole was nothing, but that bump under my eye was Basal Cell Carcinoma. My Dermatologist is sending me to a surgeon who will take the rest of the carcinoma off from under my eye. I am not really concerned, because we caught it early, so I hope that only a little more tissue will be removed and that I will not have a huge scar under my eye. I am now wearing an SPF 30 moisturizer instead of a 15, and am urging my family (Aaron) and friends to wear sunscreen daily and not just to the beach or the pool.

The Park

2010-04-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Monday was such a beautiful day, and Aaron got home early, so we decided to walk to our local park. It was so nice to get out of the house as a family. Our park has put in some new equipment and Ethan really loved climbing on the boulder like equipment and running around with Daddy and Mommy.

Landon loved being outside too. He had fun watching his brother run around and hanging out with his Daddy.

We even brought Max with us. He loved running around and even helped pull Ethan home in the stroller. It was pretty funny to see them together.

We are so excited that the weather is finally getting nice and we can play at the park, walk at night, and have fun together. I hope everyone is enjoying this spring as much as we are.

Weekend with Grandma and Grandpa

2010-04-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my parents were in town for Lizzy's graduation. I brought my camera excited to get some great pictures of her graduating, but I forgot the memory card, so unfortunately there are no pictures. She looked so beautiful and it was such a fun morning gettting to cheer her on while she walked across stage. So congratulations Lizzy and thanks for letting us come and spend time with you on such
a wonderful day.

Ethan has been telling me every day for 3 weeks that his Grandma and Grandpa are coming to visit him, and lucky for me they did. We had such a fun time with them. We were able to play outside Saturday morning. Mom hung out with me, and Landon, and Ethan played T-ball with Grandpa and Lizzy.

Ethan also took Grandpa and Grandma to see "How to Train your Dragon." He loves this movie and was very excited to take his grandparents.

Thanks Mom and Dad for spending so much time with us. We had a great weekend and can't wait to see you soon.

Crazy day

2010-04-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today was a strange/crazy day. It rained most of last night but this morning the sun began to shine. I was very excited because Ethan had a play date with some of his friends this afternoon. Around 2 it started to rain again and boy did it start to rain! It rained and then that rain turned into hail, and then our power went out. It was kind of nice opening the front door and listening to it hail, but I was also praying that our basement wouldn't flood.

While the power was out I decided to mop the floor. Just as I was finishing Ethan came back from playing with his friends, and the power came back on. He wanted a Popsicle so I got him one to eat at the kitchen table while I took care of Landon. When he was finished he came back into the living room where I was playing with Landon. I returned to the kitchen to find this

Why are there always spills right after I mop the floor.

Also, I broke the glass on one of Aaron's Elway pictures, and as I was going to the garbage to through the glass away it fell out of my hands and broke into even smaller pieces, so I had to pick it all up again and in the process stabbed myself two times. It really hurt.

Ethan and I also butted heads today. He sat in time out twice for yelling and trying to hit me. He is usually not like that, but every now and then he has his moments. I guess it is part of growing up and learning how to treat other people.

So needless to say I am glad that both the boys are in bed and that I have a few moments to relax.

Happy Birthday La La

2010-04-19T19:30:00.001-07:00

Sunday was Lizzy's 24th Birthday so we had a little birthday party for her. Rada and John came up to have a special lunch and cake and ice cream.

Ethan had a fun time singing Happy Birthday to La La and helping her blow out the candles.

Lizzy is a huge Harry Potter fan, but for some reason she doesn't have any of the movies. I guess it could be that she is a poor college student, and would rather eat than buy a DVD. So I took it upon myself to get her the movies so she can enjoy Harry Potter anytime she wants.

It is so strange to think that my baby sister is already 24. Lizzy has accomplished so many things in her 24 years. She is always working hard in her studies, and at work.
I love to hear her play her oboe. She is truly amazing. I have no musical ability and when I see what she can do I am in such awe. If you ever have a chance to hear her play you should go.
Lizzy loves her nephews. She loves to play games with Ethan and snuggle Landon. She helps me around the house and takes care of the boys when they need it. Lizzy has many nick names, sometimes we call her La La, Fuz Head, or Soybean. She will answer to any of them, but Ethan loves to call her La La.
Happy Birthday Lizzy! We love you and are so glad that you are so close to us. We will miss you when you leave, but will be excited to visit you too.

Dermatologist

2010-04-15T10:37:00.001-07:00

This morning I went to the Dermatologist to have some things checked. I had this raised bump underneath my eye that I thought I should have looked at. My Dermatologist was a little concerned so we took a biopsy, and I will hear back in 3 weeks. Hopefully everything will be normal, but I am glad that I went in because of my families history and my fair skin.

I look pretty cute don't you think?

Hogle Zoo

2010-04-13T19:39:00.001-07:00

Monday was such a fun day. Kathy and I both had the day off, so we headed to the Zoo. The weather was perfect, and it was nice to get out of the house and walk all morning.

The Hogle Zoo has a new baby elephant. He was so cute playing around his mommy.

We got to see the Rinos up close. Did you know that they have hair on their horns? At least we thought it was hair.

We also saw the cute little penguins and they even swam in the pool for us.

Ethan loved seeing all the animals, and he was such a good boy.

I even got to see my favorite animals, the big Kitty's, and we got to see Kathy's favorite, the giraffes.

Check out my little Monkey. Don't you just want to squeeze him?

It was such a fun morning and we can't wait to do it again.

Tee Ball

2010-04-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

Ethan loves to wack things, and has a great throwing arm so we decided to get him a tee ball set. It was such a nice day on Saturday that we spent the afternoon outside playing in the sun.

We all took turns hitting the baseballs and I hit 2 over the fence Opps! Aaron was nice enough to go over the fence and get them for us. Thanks Aaron.

While Aaron was busy retrieving the baseballs from the wet lands Ethan found the many sticks that he has in the back yard and started playing swords with them, and pretending they were guns. He is such a funny boy.

Landon was having such a fun time being outside. The sky was so clear and the weather was perfect.

Ethan is so excited for Grandpa to come and visit so they can play Baseball together.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T19:30:00.001-07:00

We started out the Easter weekend by going to an Easter Egg hunt at our park. The morning was very cold, so we bundled up in sweat shirts and jackets and headed out to get some eggs.

Ethan had a fun time running around picking up eggs, and candy on the grass. He was also excited to see his friends Coulson and Kelie. It was a fun, but cold morning.

On Sunday morning the Easter bunny also left eggs in our front yard. Wendy and her son Tanner hid the eggs for Ethan. He had such a fun time running around the yard hunting for eggs. He kept telling us that he found "another one"

Landon even liked the eggs.

We ended our Sunday with a wonderful family dinner at Nate and Devanie's. It was fun to be with family and have the kids play together. Devanie put together another easter egg hunt. Ethan had fun being with his Daddy for this one and wanted to play in the toys more than get eggs. He was totally cute. I sure do love that little boy.

Decorating Easter Eggs

2010-04-02T18:54:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, Rada invited us down to her house to decorate easter eggs. We got there mid morning and Ethan was excited to play with his Aunt. Rada let Ethan help her put the colors into the mugs and add the water after she added the vinegar. He was very happy to help.

While we were waiting for the colors to disolve we put stickers on our hands. Ethan picked basketballs, and I picked butterflys.

Ethan really liked plopping the eggs in to the mugs to get there color.

Aunt Lizzy was also able to come and play with us too.

After decorating eggs, Rada and Lizzy made us a delicious lunch while Ethan watched a movie and Landon took a nap.

Isn't this how we all watch movies?

The Easter Bunny also came to Rada's house.

Thanks for a wonderful morning Rada. We had such a wonderful time. Ethan keeps asking me when we can go back to your house.

4 Months

2010-03-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

Landon is 4 months, and we are falling more in love with him as the days go by. He had his 4 month doctors appointment last week and here are his stats.
Weight 14.3 30%
Height 25.75 70%
Head 41.5 20%

Landon is still tall and lean. He is already growing out of his 3 to 6 month clothes.

Landon loves to smile at everyone. He is also laughing, and "talking" when you talk to him. He loves his brother and laughs and plays with him all the time.

Landon is almost rolling over. It is so cute to see him turning his little body. He is growing up so quickly, that some days I just want him to stop.

Landon is becoming a great sleeper. He takes a nap about every 2 hours and goes down quite well at night, but he still gets up anywhere from 1 to 2 times a night. I am not very excited about that, but hopefully in a couple more weeks he will be sleeping through the nights.

We love this little guy so much and count our blessings daily to have him in our lives.

Happy Birthday Josie

2010-03-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Josie!!! We were so excited to spend your Birthday with you this year.

Thanks Rada for hosting the party, and making a delicious Birthday cake.

Josie got some fun gifts, and we got to laugh about all the fun times we have had with her.

We loved celebrating Josie's Birthday so much that we had another little party for her at our house, so Ethan could blow out candles, and sing with her.
Josie you are an amazing sister, and aunt. I am truly amazed at the love you have for everyone around you. Thanks for always checking in on us and making sure we are doing ok. The boys love you so much and Ethan talks about you daily. You are one of the smartest people I know and even though I am older than you I value your opinion, and advice. I wish we could live closer to each other and spend more time together, but as for now we are just glad to get to talk to you and to see you for special occasions.

We love you Josie, and hope you had as much fun celebrating your Birthday with us as we did with you. Happy Birthday!

Master Recital

2010-03-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Friday was Lizzy's Master in Oboe recital. She is so wonderful and it was truly a joy to listen to her play. I don't know how she does it. She is so dedicated and it really shows. Lizzy you did a wonderful job and I am so glad we could be there to see you perform.

Our parents and Josie were able to come up from Phoenix to see Lizzy's recital.

Happy Birthday Great Grandma

2010-03-21T15:33:00.001-07:00

Friday we celebrated my Grandma's (the boy's Great Grandma) 92nd birthday. We had such a fun afternoon. Josie drove down with me and the boys, and we met everyone else in Nephi for some relaxing conversation, cake, and ice cream.

Aunt Marion made two delicious cakes. Ethan loved the whip cream that we put on top and asked for more three times.

Ethan and Grandpa loved the cake.

It was such a fun afternoon. Thanks for planning a little Birthday party for Grandma and inviting us. We had a great time.

Bowling with Dad

2010-03-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

Ever since we went bowling with Grandma and Grandpa, Ethan has been asking his Daddy if he wants to go bowling with him, so we decided to go.

Landon just hung out in his car seat while we played our game. He is such a mello baby.

Ethan had a really good game, but his Daddy needs to practice more:)
I ended up kickin some booty. Maybe I should join a league, and get a bowling ball with a big tooth on it. HEHE that would be pretty funny.

Thanks everyone for coming to play with us. We had a really great time.

Dinosaurs

2010-03-10T17:56:00.001-08:00

One of Ethan's favorite things to do is play with his dinosaurs. He gets them out every morning and asks me if I want to play dinosaurs with him. He always gives me the same two dinosaurs. I tried to play with a different dinosaur one morning, and he told me that that was his dinosaur and handed "mine" to me.

He has also been watching The Land Before Time, which he calls Little Foot. He loves watching for Sharp Tooth and tells me immediately when he comes into the picture. It is funny that he likes that movie because it is one that both Aaron and I watched as kids. He also loves Journey to the Center of the Earth. This movie also has a really big dinosaur.

Ethan also has two favorite shirts right now that he asks to wear daily. One is his football shirt that is Orange and Blue of course, and the other one is his Dinosaur shirt. Every time he wears his dinosaur shirt he asks me if he can go scare Aurora and Zach with it. Silly Boy!

If you ever have the urge to play with dinosaurs you know where to come, and we would love to have you.

Sisters

2010-03-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

My older sister Rada and her husband recently moved to Utah, so we decided to get together for a Sunday dinner. It was so nice of them to come up to our home, and to pick Lizzy up on their way.

This was the first time that they had seen Landon. I was glad that they could come
and see their new nephew.

Thanks Rada and Lizzy for helping me make chocolate chip cookies. We had a really great time with you all and hope to do it again soon.

Train Park 2010

2010-03-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at the Train Park this year. Grandma was able to get work off and ride the tracks with us. Ethan was very excited to ride the train.

Josie's work is close to the Train Park so she was able to come over and have lunch with us. She even rode on the train and merry-go-round with Ethan.

Grandma held sleeping Landon while we were on the merry-go-round.

Thanks for a fun afternoon. Ethan is still talking about all the fun things we did that weekend.

Phoenix Zoo

2010-02-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

Josie was able to come with us to the Zoo this year. Last year Lizzy came down with me, but this year she was auditioning all over the country. We missed you Liz, but we are glad that things went so well.

It actually rained in Phoenix earlier that day, and so we were able to see some of the animals that usually don't come out to often in the heat.

We saw all of the beautiful "Kittys" which was fun, and Ethan loved the Elephant.

It was on the cooler side so we had Landon all bundled up and I just have to add that he is so CUTE!

We had a really great time at the Zoo. The animals were beautiful, except for the scary monkeys (everyone knows that I hate monkeys), and the company was wonderful. Thanks, Mom, Dad, and Josie for taking time off of work to spend the day with us. I know that it was a hard decision to make :)

The Park

2010-02-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, was our day to just relax and have good naps. We went down the road to our park. They have made it really nice and put in all new equipment. It was so nice to be able to be outside in the middle of February. I miss Arizona weather.

Ethan had such a fun time chasing pigeons (aka:flying rats), around with Grandpa and running around on the play set. It was a fun morning that ended with a great nap.

Brownies, Bowling, and Hockey

2010-02-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon Grandpa and Ethan made us something delicious.

Ethan loves to help make things so he and Grandpa made delicious brownies from scratch. They were so wonderful that I had to pace myself so I wouldn't eat them all.

Monday after naps we went to the local bowling alley.

Ethan was very excited to play, and Grandpa and Grandma were excited to help him too.

Landon was also having a fun time while we were bowling.

Grandma was nice enough to get Ethan a giant pretzel to eat. He loved it, and even shared some with mommy. Thanks Ethan.

Monday night Grandpa, Josie, Ethan and I went to the Coyotes Hockey game. It was fun being with my sister and chearing on the coyotes.

We had such a fun night. We ate, hot dogs, popcorn (Ethan's favorite), peanuts, and churro bites. The Coyotes even WON!!! Thanks Dad for taking us it was a blast.

Day 1 in Arizona

2010-02-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

We had a non eventful plane ride to Phoenix, thank goodness. When we arrived it took me awhile to put the car seats in Grandpa's car so Grandpa showed Ethan all of the planes and the Phoenix Valley. Ethan thought this was pretty neat. Thanks for parking on the ninth level so we could see it all.

We went to a chocolate fair that afternoon in Glendale. It was very busy, but we had a fun time eating kettle corn and listening to a live band.

We had a wonderful first day and were looking forward to all the fun things planned for the rest of the week.

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T19:55:00.001-08:00

It is hard not to fall in love with a face like that!!!

Aaron got me flowers, balloons, and some candy for valentines day. He also got Ethan some. We had a fun and relaxing day. Thanks Aaron for thinking of us :)

Having Fun

2010-01-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

All of my sister in laws have done this with their kids. They put either bird seed or rice in a large container and let their kids play in it. I decided to give it a try because we needed something else to do since we don't get to go outside to much.

I decided to do a mixture of bird seed and rice. Then we laid a bed sheet down on the kitchen floor and Ethan had such a fun time playing in it.

We got plastic cups, boats, measuring cups and spoons to play with. Ethan had a really good time.

Ethan was supposed to keep the stuff inside the container, but as you can see alot of it got onto the sheet. No problem though, I just put the sheet into the container and shook the rice/seed back in. Then we vacuumed any pieces that got away. It was a fun activity and we have been enjoying it ever since.

Ice cream

2010-01-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

I scream you scream we all scream for Ice Cream!

Ethan and I made vanilla ice cream yesterday. He is always wanting to help me make things so I thought this would be fun and also delicious at the same time. He was such a good help. Ethan mixed the sugar and milk together with the blender, and also helped me measure the other ingredients out.

The ice cream only took 30 minutes and then we were able to taste it.

It was very delicious, but tasted a lot like cool whip, so I think next time we will do strawberry, or mint chocolate chip. But that hasn't stoped us from eating it though :)

2 Months

2010-01-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

Landon had his 2 month appointment yesterday. He is such a big and healthy beautiful boy.
Weight: 12.6 lbs, 75%
Height: 24 1/4lbs, 93%
Head: 39cm, 25%
Since Landon looked a little like my Dad when he was born, maybe he will also be tall like him too.
He loves to lift his head and look around at everything going on, and he loves to smile and coo at anyone who talks to him.
We are very happy that he is progressing as he should and bringing so much joy to our lives.

Living with a 2 year old

2010-01-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

Whoever knew that living with a 2 year old could be so hilarious. Ethan says some pretty funny things daily and I thought that I could share them with you.

On Sunday our Bishop was talking about Haiti and if anyone wanted to donate that they could give to the Humanitarian fund. When he said Humanitarian Ethan looked up at me with his wide eyes and said "He-man!" It was hard not to bust up laughing in the middle of sacrament meeting.

When Ethan is being noisy we ask him to please be quiet, and his response is usually "NO, You be quiet!
Sometimes when we ask him to pick up his toys he tells us "No thanks, you pick them up." Aaron really has a hard time not smiling at his little boy when he says these things.

Ethan was eating a Sponge Bob candy cane the other day and said "Ummmmm, this is good stuff!"

Ethan keeps telling me that I'm a "Silly Monkey" so the other day I told him he was a "Silly Monkey" and he looked right at me with a serious look and stated "No, I'm Ethan." Oh, of course, silly me.

As most of you know we have conquered going pee-pee in the potty, but number two has been more of a challenge. We were driving to church a couple of weeks ago and I was saying something to Aaron about Ethan going poop in the potty, and from the back seat we hear "I pooped, I pooped Christmas." We immediately started laughing.

So as you can see there is never a dole moment with this 2 year old.

Best Baby Ever!

2010-01-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Landon is such a funny sleeper. He prefers to have his face squished against something, either my chest or the floor. It is pretty hillarious.

He falls asleep pretty much anywhere and is such a joy to have around.

He is very content just sitting in a chair or the swing.

He also loves to watch movies with his Dad and Brother.

We love our little boy and count our blessings daily having him in our lives.

Fire Truck

2010-01-08T11:17:00.001-08:00

Ethan loves Fire Trucks. He plays with a big bag of fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars every Sunday and whenever he needs to be entertained when we go out. So we decided to take him to see the real thing on Monday. Our friend, Chris, works at two fire stations here in Ogden so we asked him if we could stop by.

We sat in the drivers seat and turned on the lights. Ethan was a little scared up there by himself so I hopped up there with him and we had a fun time.

Chris even drove us around the block in the fire truck. Ethan really liked this part, and so did his Daddy.

Chris put his mask on and pretended he was Darth Vader. Ethan thought that was pretty funny so he and Aaron tried it on too.

Chris and Ethan